As the government attempts to show that it really is using U.S. money to fight against the jihadists. "Bombs Strike Northwest Pakistan as Taliban Attacks Escalate," by Khalid Qayum for Bloomberg, October 23 (thanks to all who sent this in):
Oct. 23 (Bloomberg) -- Two bombs struck northwestern Pakistan today as militants escalated near-daily attacks against security and civilian targets amid an army offensive in the nearby Taliban stronghold of South Waziristan.A suicide bomber killed seven people outside the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex in Kamra city around 7:30 a.m. as staff arrived for work, district police officer Fakhar Sultan told reporters. Two of those who died worked for the armed forces, while the rest were civilians. A second car bomb exploded near a restaurant in the nearby city of Peshawar five hours later, injuring eight people, the Edhi ambulance service said.
Pakistan's army a week ago began its biggest offensive against the Taliban and its allies in the northwestern tribal region of South Waziristan bordering Afghanistan, deploying 28,000 troops. They are seeking to destroy the faction that was led by Baitullah Mehsud until his death in a U.S. missile strike in August. Pakistan blames the group for 80 percent of terrorist attacks in the country. Mehsud's successor vowed to avenge his killing with suicide bombings.
Retaliation by militants who "think they are winning" in their offensive against the government was expected, said Zafar Nawaz Jaspal, assistant professor of International Relations at Islamabad's Quaid-e-Azam University. "Controlling South Waziristan won't end terrorist attacks completely but it will destroy their training camps and weaken" the militants, he said. The government and military are determined and "willing to pay the price," Jaspal said. [...]
And finally, some common sense in Washington:
In Washington, the U.S. Congress passed a defense spending bill that imposes restrictions on military assistance to Pakistan in a move to ensure the aid is spent fighting the Taliban. The conditions may trigger complaints in Pakistan and fan anti-U.S. sentiment.Refugee Concerns
Earlier this month, Pakistani opposition lawmakers and the military said conditions attached to a $7.5 billion civilian aid package signed by President Barack Obama undermined the nation's sovereignty. That legislation provides funds over five years to build roads, schools, power facilities and other projects serving civilians....
They think that building roads, schools, etc. will end the jihad. They will be surprised about that.
"The conditions may trigger complaints in Pakistan and fan anti-U.S. sentiment."
Frankly, I don't give a flying f**k if it does.
It's common sense.
Anyone who complains is so stuffed in the head they don't deserve the brains that were given to them.
The MSM doesn't really seem to be upset that "civilians" are assaulted and killed to the extent they do when Israel counterattacks those who wish to create terror...
"That legislation provides funds over five years to build roads, schools, power facilities and other projects serving civilians." Given the state of Pakistani accounting, I'm sure a lot of money will go to roads and schools, but I predict about a billion dollars will go up in smoke & nobody will ever be able to figure out where it went.
Salam,
Pakistan is bleeding, innocents are the most vunerable.
Problems at the Afghan border have been imported to Punjabi heartland of Lahore where my ancestors hail from.
What happens in Pak wil define what happens to the world in the coming decade. Defeat the Taliban, and Pak will stabilise, and the world too.
When it rains...it pours...earthquake in Pak too
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/16-strong-earthquake-strikes-afghanistan-and-pakistan-hs-05
No doubt that charites will sping up all over askiing for denotions to support the displaced, the needy and those hit by earthquakes...please donate generously.
Oh Please! You were sobbing over Meshud being killed recently. Let Pakistan eat its nuclear arsenal.
Muslims killing Muslims! Imagine that. That has NEVER happened before..........has it? Well, so much for that "Muslims are all brothers" taquiyya. Do you know which group has killed more Muslims than any other group?
Yes, sparky, it's other Muslims. Sad, but true.
I understand the skepticism many here feel for the Pakistani government (a skepticism I certainly share), but this current fighting is a very promising development and IF (a big qualifier) the Pakistanis don't cut-and-run like they have in the past, and pursue the destruction of the Taliban and Al Qaeda in the FATA, it could auger very positive developments not only in Afghanistan but around the world.
Northwest Pakistan is currently THEE training and operational hub for the global Jihad. A purge of the foreigners currently infesting that region - and their local enablers - would dramatically alter the regional landscape. The Afghan Taliban would be left with a significantly degraded support pipeline and sanctuary base, and the foreigners would be forced to relocate, probably to Somalia, where we could take the fight to them there and possibly succeed in closing off their last OPEN sanctuary.
Again, all this is conditional on Pakistan pursuing their current offensive...but let's not be such pessimists and nay-sayers. Nobody expected the "surge" in Iraq to succeed in 2007 and yet today, that country is largely pacified and is no longer a center for the global Jihad. As we sit around here cynically thumbing our noses at the Pakistani government, they have the Taliban and Al Qaeda in South Waziristan on the ropes. We should be hoping for their success.
Who created the Taliban my friend? :)
Remember that this place is a nuclear installation, where nuclear warheads are kept for mounting onto attack jets.
So what happened to Pakistan's promises that its nuclear facilities were safe from attack?
At the risk of sounding like a broken record but Americans can thank their 9/11 POTUS for the billions of tax-payer $s to Pakistan:
'Pakistan President Gen. Pervez Musharraf insists Khan was running his nuclear smuggling operation under the radar of the military government that brought Musharraf to power. And although this is a highly implausible claim given the reach of the military's power and the scope of the operation, the White House has found it convenient to buy it hook, line and sinker -- all the better to re-market Pakistan to the American people as a war-on-terrorism ally.'
Read here: http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0329-26.htm
This on 9/17 (right after 9/11):
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/gwbush911islamispeace.htm
I think a good way to express our displeasure would be to bomb Islamabad to the ground. A clear message must be sent to the muslim world. Apostate or face total destruction.
If we do not deal with Islam and it's messengers, the muslims, we will be destroyed by it.
You're kidding right? Pakistan is third world dump. Filled with Islam and misery, no good can come from a land like this. I would prefer Pakistan be conquered and made to submit to Western power. Pakistan is offensive to me.
The Pakistan army is acting against the self-styled Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan(Taliban/Student's Movement of Pakistan)formed around 2002, by the historically unmanageable tribals in FATA and NWFP. Pakistan has finally acted against this group after it had made a habit of attacking targets in Pakistan, despite Mullah Omar's friendly counsel to it not to fight the Pakistan establishment, but to join forces with the Taliban in fighting and ousting the coalition forces from Afghanistan.
The Taliban, led by Mullah Omar (based comfortably in Quetta), is the real McCoy, which is now called the Afghan Taliban to distinguish it from the other groups. This Taliban is Pakistan's progeny and it's army's protege, which had ruled Afghanistan from 1996 till it was routed in November 2001 by the coalition (and Dostum) forces. It is safe and sound, obviously does not face any threat from the Pakistan army and is waiting in the wings to take over Afghanistan when the coalition forces move out.
This, of course, does not imply that the action against the Al-Qaeda friendly TeT should not be welcome. In fact, it's the long overdue, first real initiative, by Pakistan against the fundamentalists. Destruction of this group will not mean that Taliban will be finished. It will only mean there will be fewer ultra-Islamists to deal with.
"Aeronautical complex"
A kite factory?
A kite factory?
LOL!
Very funny.
"A suicide bomber killed seven people outside the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex in Kamra city..." -- from the story.
Anyone know where the nukes are stored? I would hope the Pakis have enough sense not to store them in such a volatile area, but you never know.